


Just Can't Put My Finger On It

by AshWinterGray



Category: Heathers (1988), Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Babies, Court Cases, Cousins, Deja Vu, F/M, Innocent, Lawyers, Murder Charges, Mystery, Picnics, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 12:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19441453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshWinterGray/pseuds/AshWinterGray
Summary: Steve Harrington has been away for four years on a court case that took him all the way to D.C. But when he comes back, he's got a new girlfriend, named Veronica Sawyer. The thing is, the kids believe that there is something off about his new girlfriend.They just can't put their finger on it.





	Just Can't Put My Finger On It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tairoe](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Tairoe).



> Dedicated to Tairoe. If you changed your name, please let me know. Because my thing says you don't exist anymore. If anyone knows this user and what they changed too, please let me know...

“Steve is coming back, right?” Dustin asked as he pestered Joyce, who was loading his arms with potato salad for their picnic. “Like, he’s _actually_ coming back.”

Everyone had to role their eyes as they watched Dustin bounce on his heels. About five years ago, Steve had to leave town for a job. He was a lawyer, and the case he had taken had gone a bit far, eventually dragging Steve all the way to D.C. His client, something confidential, had tried to drop the case several times and Steve had been so invested in the case that even if it broke his only just now starting career, he was going to take it. His father, who was rather proud of Steve’s career choice, had paid enough money to get Steve the hearings as soon as possible, though Steve threatened to burn his father’s company of he tried to buy out the case.

But because the case was confidential, they were only allowed to have short phone calls.

“Yes, Dustin,” Joyce shook her head, both annoyed and fond. “He’s coming. Now calm down. He’s been driving for a few days now, so give him some space.”

“Sit down, nerd,” Erica snapped at him.

“I’ve got to get the potato salad first,” Dustin protested.

“Now!” Erica snapped.

Ten years, and their little group was still going strong. Joyce and Hopper had gotten married. Nancy and Jonathan were married and had come back for a visit from New York. Robin had been traveling but she always came back to Hawkins. The kids, no longer kids, had all moved on with their lives, been to college, or currently in college for Erica.

“We’ve got the rest, Mrs. Byers,” Max huffed as she went for the rest of the potato salad with Lucas and Will. “And anything else in there.”

They were only just loading up the car when an old familiar Beemer pulled up.

“He still drives that old thing,” Hopper laughed as he heaved himself up. “He’s more of an old-timer than I am.”

And there, is all of his babysitter glory, was Steve Harrington, stepping out of his car. He gave them a wave and a grin as he swiped off his sunglasses and rounded the cars. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he opened the passenger door and gently probed out a young woman.

“Steve!” Dustin couldn’t resist and rushed forward to greet his mentor.

“Hey!” Steve grinned right back. How you doing man?”

“I got the job,” Dustin exclaimed

“You got the job!” Steve laughed as they began to do that weird hand-shake thing they had.

The girl beside Steve was beaming the whole time.

“Okay,” Steve couldn’t stop smiling as they finally finished their hand-shake. “Allow me to introduce you to Veronica Sawyer, my girlfriend.”

“It’s about time,” Robin yelled at him as she came to hug him and meet Veronica.

“Does she look familiar to anyone else,” Lucas asked as they all took turns hugging Steve and meeting Veronica. “I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s just something about her, you know?”

“You’re just paranoid because she’s an outsider,” Mike scoffed, his voice low as he watched Joyce welcome Veronica with open arms. “I’m sure she’s fine. I mean, she’s dating Steve.”

“Is she,” El paused for a moment, squinting to get a closer view. “Is she crying?”

Veronica was, in fact, crying. And when Joyce pulled back, Steve leaned down to whisper something that made Joyce pull Veronica into an even tighter hug. It wasn’t long before Jonathan called everyone over, burgers fully grilled and the table set.

“I have absolutely no idea how you make your potato salad taste so good Mrs. Byers,” Steve hummed. “I really just need to get the recipe out of you.”

“Family secrets, Steve,” Joyce waved casually. “Family secret.”

Steve feigned mock hurt. “Am I not family?”

This caused every to laugh, and even Veronica couldn’t help but release a slight giggle, and it was clear by the way she turned to Steve, and the way Steve was too busy staring at Veronica to berate them, that they were as in-love as a new couple could be.

“She does look sort of familiar,” Will muttered to Lucas and Mike as they watched her lean into Steve, looking content. “I just, I don’t know. There’s something I just can’t put my finger on.”

“See,” Lucas hissed, keeping his voice low.

“I think you’re imagining things,” Mike shook his head. “Let’s just go help with dessert or something.”

Jonathan, Nancy, and Robin were deep in conversation with both Steve and Veronica. In fact, the five of them looked comfortable together, as if they had always been a group, and Jonathan was actually _initiating_ a conversation with Veronica and not the other way around.

“I am so confused,” Max whispered. “She just, I don’t know-”

“Oh! Not you too!” Mike huffed. “Seriously guys!”

“Shut up,” Max and Lucas hissed as El slid her hand over his mouth.

“You nerds are being creepy,” Erica whispered to them. “You should probably stop staring before they notice.”

“What’s up guys?”

The five kids jumped out of their skin, only to turn and see Dustin walking up beside Erica.

“Why are you being creepy?” he asked.

The five exchanged a look.

“Does,” El cleared her throat.

“Does Veronica seem, odd to you?” Lucas asked. “Like there’s something we’re missing?”

Dustin and Erica exchanged a look this time, and that whole mentor thing they had formed suddenly flashed across their faces and they were laughing.

“You-you guys really don’t know?” Dustin was laughing a bit harder now. “Oh, this gre-great.”

“I’ll give you a hint,” Erica grinned. “She’s from Ohio.”

That didn’t seem to help, and it only made Dustin laugh harder.

\------------------------------------------

The kids later went to go find Steve, only to find him with Jonathan, Nancy, Robin, and Veronica at their old make-shift shooting range. Robin was firing this time, still trying to hit the newly placed coke can.

“That was close,” Nancy grinned. “You’ve still got better aim than the boys.”

This caused protest as Robin fired one more shot that hit the wood spike holding up the can. It was clearly the closest anyone except Nancy had gotten today, because the five cheered.

“Veronica, you want to try,” Nancy called to her, waving the gun a little carelessly as Jonathan moved to set up four cans on the spikes. “I bet you’d do better than these jerks.”

Veronica looked suddenly nervous, maybe a little scared, but Steve leaned down and whispered something into her ear. Whatever Steve said, it made her relax just a little, and then she carefully stood up and took the gun from Nancy. She let it rest in her hand for a moment, let herself stare at the thing, and the she whipped it up.

_Bang! Clang! Bang! Clang! Bang! Clang! Bang! Clang!_

The group watched in awe as Veronica hit every target. She stood there for a moment, letting the cheers wash over her as she seemed to try and catch her breath. She only relaxed and lowered the gun when Steve wrapped her in his arms from behind.

The group stared in awe.

“That was awesome,” Dustin cheered a little louder.

Veronica sent him a shaky smile.

\---------------------------

“Thank you for letting me make that call,” Veronica smiled at Joyce as she moved to sit beside Steve on the Byers couch. “I can pay you back.”

“Nonsense,” Joyce brushed it off. “Honestly, it was no trouble. You’re family.”

“How was she?” Will heard Steve whisper.

“Hysterical,” Veronica muttered. “All this time and everything was a lie. I mean, I told her the truth, but I don’t think she believed me until…”

“That’s over,” Steve kissed her forehead. “McNamara will be alright. She’s pulled through worse, and Martha is still supporting you too. You won’t believe how many calls I get from her in a day.”

Veronica shook her head, curling further Steve as if he could protect her from whatever was about to be said. As if Steve was the only lifeline in the world.

“But I killed those people, Steve,” she muttered gently. “Me. I did it.”

Steve shook his head. “The only person you killed was Kurt Kelly, and that wasn’t even your choice.”

Veronica didn’t look convinced, but as she looked into Steve’s eyes, something softened between them, and she nestled into Steve’s neck. Will, however, had his head reeling by this information, muttered some excuse about needing to use the bathroom, and then locked himself in the bathroom.

“Will, sweetie,” Joyce called from the other side of the door. “Can I come in?”

Will hadn’t realized he had been in there that long.

“Hey,” Joyce smiled as Will let her in. “So I guess you heard?”

“Did she really kill people?”

Joyce sighed. “Veronica made a lot of bad life choices when she was in high school, and one of those choices was that she dated a man named Jason Dean. He was a psychopath, and he managed to manipulate Veronica into committing several of those murders and making them look like suicide.”

Will’s blood ran cold as he turned to his mother.

“But,” Joyce said, “she stopped him from murdering more people, and Jason Dean blew himself up because of it. The murders came to life recently, and Steve became her lawyer. As he tried to prove her innocence, they fell in love. They waited till she was free before they officially started dating, but Veronica is a good person, even if she needs to be reminded sometimes.”

“Huh, she looked familiar, I guess we just saw a picture from Steve’s files or something,” Will chuckled nervously.

Joyce burst out laughing. “Will, honey, Veronica is your cousin from Ohio. My sister’s daughter.”

Will couldn’t help but gape at his mom.

“What? Since when?”

“Oh, she used to be around every so often,” Joyce shrugged nonchalantly. “But then I divorced Lonnie and we weren’t a respectable family anymore, so my sister wanted nothing to do with me. You know how it is.”

“Is that why Jonathan’s so comfortable around her?” Will asked hastily. “And does Steve know?” And-”

“One at a time, one at a time,” Joyce laughed. “Yes, Jonathan remembered him. And yes, Steve knows. He called me up the moment he realized who she was. Oh, he was so panicked about it, rambled on about the case and everything that happened.”

Will blinked at his mother. As far as Will knew, Steve hadn’t been allowed to disclose any information on the case. And Steve was the _best_ at keeping secrets. This left Will a little stunned.

“He was already in love with her when he realized I was her aunt,” Joyce continued, laughing a little. He acted as if she had hung the moon, even when her life was pretty much on death row. He tried to apologize for his feelings. I told him he was being an idiot and he better take good care of my niece or he wasn’t allowed to come home.”

Will let out a laugh at that one, knowing Steve would have taken it seriously, even if he didn’t need the incentive to win the case.

“And it was everything I needed,” a voice spoke from the door. “I won her case 7 to 2, declaring her innocence.”

Will beamed up at Steve and Veronica, watching as she leaned comfortably into Steve’s side. But she seemed scared, hesitant, and tense as she eyed Will. It took Will a moment to realize she probably expected him to lash out. But that didn’t happen. Instead, Will lunged forward and wrapped his cousin in a tight embrace.

“Welcome home,” Will breathed, and he finally understood why Veronica had sobbed in his mother’s arms when Joyce had held her close.

“Wait,” Will pulled away. “How did _Dustin_ know but _I_ didn’t?”

Steve barked out a laugh. “Erica told him.”

That…that was not helpful. Because how did Erica know?

\----------------------------

“So she’s you’re cousin?” Lucas asked like Will had grown a second head. “Seriously.”

Will nodded. “Yeah, she’s my cousin, but after the divorce, I wasn’t allowed to see her.”

“They’re cute,” El smiled as they watched Steve spin Veronica around in circles. “He helps her live after what she does, and she keeps him grounded after the insanity of his life.”

_Click!_

The group turned to see Erica holding Jonathan’s camera.

“What?” she glanced at them for only a second before raising the camera again. “We’ve got to document things somehow.”

_Click!_

“Document what, exactly?” Max asked.

_Click!_

Erica doesn’t answer as she keeps the camera ready. What makes it worse is that Dustin is smiling, like he knows too. And from what Will told them, they don’t doubt that Erica told Dustin. Or that they might have found out together.

_Click!_

“Hey, guys!” Jonathan suddenly calls, Nancy beside him, holding a box. “Come here a second!”

_Click!_

Joyce is eyeing the box a little warily as Hopper stands beside her, but she takes it. A simple little bow is on it, looking pretty and giving the sense that this is a present. Even Robin looks excited as Jonathan hands both Steve and Veronica envelopes. It’s clear that Steve was left out of this loop.

_Click!_

Joyce already has the bow off the box and is opening it, and she and Hopper both gasp as Joyce nearly drops the box in shock. But then Hopper is reaching into the box, pulling out a pair of baby shoes and a pregnancy test. A positive pregnancy test. There was a lot of screaming.

_Click! Click! Click! Click! Click! Click! Whir whir whir whir whir whir whir whir whir whir whir whir…. Click!_

“Open them,” Jonathan grinned.

Slowly, Veronica and Steve opened the envelopes and gasped. Veronica stared in disbelief as Steve hugged Jonathan, then Nancy. But one look at Jonathan had her tackling her cousin.

“Thank you,” she breathed. “Thank you. And yes, yes I will be you’re child’s godmother.”

_Click!_


End file.
